Xiaomi’s “File Type Is Not Supported or Damaged”: How to Recover Photos in 2026

You try to open a photo on a Xiaomi smartphone, but instead of an image, you see a message saying, "File type is not supported or corrupted"? This error can appear on both new models (Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Redmi Note 13 Pro+) and old ones (Mi 9T, Poco F1). The reasons are rooted in file system failures, improper MIUI encryption, memory card corruption, or even viruses. In this article, 7 proven recovery methods, including PC tools, online services and hidden MIUI features, which are not written about in the official documentation.

It's important to understand that the faster you start recovering, the better the chances of returning files. Damaged photos don't always mean irretrievable loss - often the data is stored in a raw form and can be retrieved using special utilities. We'll look at both free methods (built into MIUI and Windows/macOS) and professional solutions for complex cases. And at the end of this article, we'll see a FAQ with answers to frequent questions and a method compatibility table with different Xiaomi models.

Why Xiaomi photos become unsupported or corrupted

The “file type is not supported” error occurs when the system cannot recognize the image format or its structure is broken. On Xiaomi smartphones, this is most often due to:

• 🔄 Recording Interrupt: The photo was taken during a camera failure (e.g., when the battery is low or overheated).
• 📱 Mistakes. MIUI: post-firmware update (MIUI 14→15) miniatures in the gallery may be broken.
• 💾 Memory card damage: Cheap microSDs or worn-out drives often lose data.
• 🔒 Encryption: if the photos were stored in a secure folder (MIUI) and it malfunctioned.
• 🦠 Viruses: Some Trojans modify file extensions (e.g..jpg) →.jpg.ex).

Less commonly, the problem is hardware malfunctions, such as a phone crash that could damage the memory controller, in which case photo recovery is possible only through a chip-off, which is expensive and requires specialized equipment.

Method 1: Recovery through the built-in MIUI Gallery

If the photos are displayed as gray thumbnails or with an exclamation point, try the standard MIUI tools first.

1. Update the gallery: go to Google Play → My apps → Gallery and update it. The new versions fix bugs with.HEIC and.DNG.
2. Clear the cache: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Gallery → Memory → Clear the cache
3. Restore the miniatures: in the gallery click ⋮ → Settings → Restore (not available on all models).

If the photo was stored in a "Secure folder":

1. Open Settings → Privacy → Secure folder.
2. Enter your password/print.
3. Press. ⋮ → Recover files (if the option is active).

Check the available space on your phone (need ≥1 GB)

Turn off battery optimization for gallery

Make a backup of damaged files on your PC

Close all background applications-->

Method 2: Use of a file manager (for hidden photos)

Sometimes, the photos don't show up in the gallery, but they're physically left on the device.

1. Install a file manager (e.g. Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera/ /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/ /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Gallery/cloud/
3. Enable the display of hidden files (in the manager settings).
4. Look for files with extensions.jpg,.png,.heic,.dng, and no extensions (e.g.,.dng, IMG_20231015_123456).

Critical detail: If files have a.nomedia extension, rename them to.jpg – this often solves the “unsupported type” problem.

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If the photos are taken in HEIC format (iPhone or new Xiaomi), install the codec from Google Play: HEIF Image Viewer or CopyTrans HEIC for Windows for PC.

Method 3: PC Recovery (for serious damage)

If photos don't open even on your computer, use specialized utilities.

Step-by-step instructions for PhotoRec (the most powerful tool):

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Download PhotoRec from the official website (cgsecurity.org) and unpack.
3. Launch it. photorec_win.exe (for Windows or photorec (for Windows) macOS/Linux).
4. Select your phone's drive → [Proceed] → [Intel/PC partition] → [Whole disk].
5. Specify the file system (FAT/exFAT/NTFS for memory card or ext4 for internal memory).
6. Select a folder to save recovered files (not on your phone!).
7. Press [Search] and wait until the scan is finished (may take several hours).

Method 4: Online services for recovery (for small files)

If only a few photos are damaged, you can use online tools that are suitable for files up to 50MB in size:

• 🌐 Online Photo Recovery – Recovery JPG, PNG, TIFF.
• 🌐 JPEG Repair Online – specializes in.jpg with artifacts.
• 🌐 HEIC to JPG — converts damaged.HEIC into.JPG.

⚠️ Warning: Don't upload sensitive photos to online services! They can save files on their servers. For sensitive data, only use offline software.

How to use Online Photo Recovery:

1. Go to the site and click Select File.
2. Upload the damaged photo (maximum 50MB).
3. Enter an email to get the result.
4. Wait for processing (usually 5-10 minutes).
5. Download the recovered file from the link from the letter.

Method 5: Manual File Header Correction (for Power Users)

If the photos are partially opened (for example, only the top part is shown), the problem may be in the damaged file header, which can be manually corrected using a hex editor:

1. Install HxD (Windows) or Hex Fiend (macOS).
2. Open the corrupted file in the editor.
3. Compare the first 10-20 bytes with a working file of the same format (e.g. FF D8 FF E0 for.jpg).
4. If the header is different, copy the correct bytes from the working file.
5. Save the changes and try to open the photo.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of hex code can permanently damage the file!

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Hex editing is only suitable for files with damaged headers, but the whole body, and if the photo does not open even partially, this method will not help.

Method 6: Recovery through MIUI backup

If you've previously turned on cloud redundancy or local backups, the chances of returning a photo are much higher.

• 🔗 Mi Cloud: Go to i.mi.com, log in and check the Gallery folder.
• 💾 Local backup: Settings → The phone. → Backup and reset → Local backup Look for files with the.mbk extension (you can open them through Mi). PC Suite).
• 📱 Google Photos: If sync was enabled, check photos.google.com (including shopping cart).

For recovery from.mbk:

1. Download Mi PC Suite from the official Xiaomi website.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and open the program.
3. Go to the Backup section → Restore.
4. Select a backup and mark the Gallery.
5. Click Restore and wait until it is completed.

Method 7: Contacting a service center (extreme case)

If none of the methods worked and the photos are critical (such as documents or unique footage), contact a Xiaomi authorized service center.

• 🔧 Recover data from a damaged memory card (chip-off method).
• 🔐 Decrypt files from the Secure folder (if you forget your password).
• 📱 Swipe your phone with user data (if the problem is firmware).

Cost of services (according to 2026):

• Recovery from memory card: from 3000 to 10 000 ₽.
• Decoding of the Secure folder: from 5 000 ₽.
• Chip-off (for physically damaged drives): from 15,000 ₽.

⚠️ Warning: Avoid "handicraft" services! unqualified tampering can lead to complete data loss.Verify reviews and availability of Xiaomi certificates.

How to Prevent Photo Loss in the Future

To avoid the “File Type Not Supported” error, follow these rules:

• ☁️ Enable automatic sync with Google Photos or Mi Cloud.
• 📁 Copy your photo on PC regularly (at least once a month).
• 🛡️ Use reliable memory cards (SanDisk Extreme or Samsung recommended) EVO).
• 🔋 Do not take photos with a low charge (below 15%).
• 🔄 Update the firmware, but first do a backup.

For additional protection, install FolderSync (automatic backup on Dropbox/OneDrive) or Sync.me (synchronization with PC over Wi-Fi).

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo recovery on Xiaomi